New £3m unit opens at Glasgow Uni ecology base

A NEW £3 million teaching extension at an environment research station will be officially opened today.

The new facility will be opened at the SCENE, on the banks of Loch Lomond. Picture: Getty

Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland, professor Muffy Calder, will unveil the facility at the Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment (SCENE) on the shores of Loch Lomond.

More than 550 donors have contributed to the expansion of SCENE, Glasgow University’s environmental science field station which was established in 1946.

The Harry Slack Teaching Building incorporates a new lecture theatre, teaching laboratory and accommodation for 45 students and teachers.

Professor Calder said: “Scotland’s natural landscape has inspired people for generations, and this is a wonderful setting for science research.

“Scientists at SCENE are well placed to help us understand more about our environment, and to give us the tools we need to make best use of it and protect it for years to come.”

SCENE director Colin Adams said: “The expansion of our research building has increased our research capacity threefold in recent years and our researchers are working in some fascinating areas.

“For example, we’re exploring how freshwater fish populations can expand our understanding of evolutionary processes and the effect that hydroelectric power generation has on fish migration.

“We are also examining how city life affects the behaviour and well-being of wildlife by comparing birds in our surrounding woodlands to those in Glasgow.

“We’re excited about the prospects for teaching offered by our new facility. The extension does a fantastic job of showcasing our surroundings in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.

“Our classrooms, which were designed to let in natural light and highlight our picturesque location, might well be the most beautiful in the UK.”

SCENE’s expansion was also supported by funding from the EU INTERREG IVA-funded IBIS project.